Our prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,824, issued Dec. 16, 1986 to the assignee of the present invention, discloses arrangements of self steering multiple axle railway trucks particularly adapted for self powered locomotive application. The trucks utilize novel force transmitting linkage arrangements between the axles and the truck frames that incorporate traction rods and one or more steering beams to permit self steering of the powered end axles of the trucks. While this patent illustrates the application of such a linkage to a bolster type locomotive truck, it recognizes that similar arrangements can be applied to so called bolsterless truck designs as well and, in addition, to both powered and unpowered railway vehicle trucks.
Copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 800,321 filed Nov. 21, 1985, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,506, discloses the application of a similar steering linkage to a locomotive truck of differing design. Additional applicable features of pedestalless axle journals having separable spring supports and traction motor mounted brake mechanisms are also shown.